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  hair. He tugged at his beard. His heart beat with a weighted sluggishness.&l ...
  

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Source: http://feeds.feedburner.com/MitchTerry

1. <?xml version='1.0' encoding='UTF-8'?><rss xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:openSearch="http://a9.com/-/spec/opensearchrss/1.0/" xmlns:blogger="http://schemas.google.com/blogger/2008" xmlns:georss="http://www.georss.org/georss" xmlns:gd="http://schemas.google.com/g/2005" xmlns:thr="http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0" version="2.0"><channel><atom:id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5544332214809397350</atom:id><lastBuildDate>Mon, 19 Feb 2024 14:18:02 +0000</lastBuildDate><title>Mitch Terry</title><description></description><link>http://mitchterrywriter.blogspot.com/</link><managingEditor>noreply@blogger.com (Mitch Terry)</managingEditor><generator>Blogger</generator><openSearch:totalResults>17</openSearch:totalResults><openSearch:startIndex>1</openSearch:startIndex><openSearch:itemsPerPage>25</openSearch:itemsPerPage><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5544332214809397350.post-2680501350767252092</guid><pubDate>Sat, 24 Mar 2018 15:44:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2018-03-24T10:44:58.233-05:00</atom:updated><title></title><description>&lt;i&gt;In the excerpt, Horacio discusses what they should do with the odd boy that they found in the dessert with a group of men. A town Apache is pressed to give his take on who or what the boy might be. It is not good news.&lt;/i&gt;&lt;div&gt;
2. <i><br /></i></div>
3. <div>
4. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
5. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Warmth radiated throughout Elizabeth’s
6. body. With a dismissive nod to her husband, she carried the boy back toward the
7. wagon. Horatio pulled his slouch hat off and plowed his fingers through his
8. hair. He tugged at his beard. His heart beat with a weighted sluggishness.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
9. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
10. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">It was then that another man spoke.
11. “Feller, if you knowed what’s good for you and your woman, you’d turn the boy
12. over to the army, pronto.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
13. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
14. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> Grimacing, Horatio nodded his head in reluctant
15. agreement. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
16. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
17. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">He said, “I know this ain’t no
18. good.” Rubbing the back of his neck, he then crossed his arms. He blew out a
19. held breath. “Lizzy’s done an buried three babies. There ain’t no way any man
20. and his army’s gonna separate her from that child now.” He set his jaw. The men
21. shuffled back, shaking their heads. A crowd gathered and milled around forgetting
22. their business—throwing sidelong glances—grumbling. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
23. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
24. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">A blustery man wearing a star pinned
25. to his dusty, colorless shirt and wearing a wide-brimmed straw hat on the back
26. of his head, dragged an old, town Indian forward. Of an undetermined age,
27. leathered features rose from bottomless creases running through his face. His
28. eyes, sunken and yellowed from drink, flashed and then darted to the ground.
29. His iron gray hair, cut at his shoulders, fell forward as if to hide him from
30. prying eyes.  <o:p></o:p></span></div>
31. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
32. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Come on, Zoo-Nee,” the man with the
33. star on his shirt said, “Speak up. What do you make of this?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
34. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
35. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The old, town Indian grunted,
36. shrugged his boney shoulders. Pursing his lips into a deeply eroded pucker, he
37. shook his head. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
38. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
39. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Come on, now, speak up. There’s some
40. fire-water in it for you.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
41. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
42. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The old, town Indian sighed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
43. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
44. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“What do you reckon that boy is?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
45. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
46. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Men shifted in their stance, their
47. skin tingling as they tugged at their hats as if to brace for a sudden dust
48. storm.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
49. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
50. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“What is he?” the man with the star
51. on his shirt said with a snort, his face rosy, and his eyebrows raised showing
52. off for the crowd. “What did that boy just say to that woman there?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
53. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
54. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The old, town Indian, still looking
55. at his toes, spoke from under his vail of greasy gray hair. His voice high, coarsened
56. from years and drink. He said, “Ishkiini da ndee.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
57. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
58. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The men rumbled.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
59. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
60. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“What did he just say?” Horatio
61. said. Emptiness settled into his stomach and his eye twitched.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
62. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
63. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Scratching his whiskers, the man
64. with the star on his shirt frowned and then said, “. . . Said that boy ain’t Apache.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
65. <div>
66. <i><br /></i></div>
67. <div>
68. <i> </i></div>
69. </div>
70. </description><link>http://mitchterrywriter.blogspot.com/2018/03/in-excerpt-horacio-discusses-what-they.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Mitch Terry)</author><thr:total>0</thr:total></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5544332214809397350.post-2020583051132638154</guid><pubDate>Thu, 01 Mar 2018 15:13:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2018-03-01T09:13:00.935-06:00</atom:updated><title></title><description>&lt;i&gt;In this excerpt, the couple rolls into Solomonville with the boy. He slowly awakens in the arms of the woman and the unfamiliar&amp;nbsp;sounds, sights and smells of the town throw him into panic. He bolts from the woman&#39;s arms to make his escape.&lt;/i&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
71. <i><br /></i>
72. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
73. <span style="background: white; color: #252525; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The
74. softness of the first light of the day, the warmth of the blanket, and the
75. woman’s embrace kept the boy floating, languidly. Voices and sounds came to him,
76. drifting and disconnected, muffled and soothing. Horses snuffled and whinnied.
77. Mules brayed. Dogs barked. Cattle lowed. Quarreling crow’s quarrelsome caws faded
78. until only one was still heard. The boy thought it called his name.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
79. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
80. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“<i>Shik’isn
81. Ba’ ts’ose</i>,” the name swirled all around, riding on the blowing dust. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
82. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
83. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">His eyes pulled open and the
84. familiar sky hung above him, and the smell of the unfamiliar flooded his senses.
85. The woman. The town. The shit and piss saturated dirt of the street. The
86. pungent smell of tobacco smoke. The stink of white-eyes. Dust in the air shrouded
87. the edges of his vision. Ghostly figures. His heart raced, near to exploding in
88. his chest. He looked into the face of the woman. Cocking her head curiously,
89. she blinked her black eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
90. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
91. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">He spoke his garbled talk, his voice
92. high and weak. He said, “<i>You cannot have
93. me yet, raven</i>.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
94. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
95. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Elizabeth’s heat rose. With a slight
96. head shake, she cut her blank expression to her husband. It was then the boy
97. flung himself from her embrace. He dropped to the ground, landing on his hands
98. and feet. He humped up in his back. He flicked his head searching for an
99. escape.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
100. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
101. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Pissing in the dirt from fear, where
102. he stood on all fours, the boy scampered away. Loping down the main street of
103. Solomonville as fast as a dog could run. Dodging spooked horses and mules.
104. Frightened oxen bellowed. Their big bells hanging around their necks clanged
105. their distress. Dogs chased him—barking and nipping at him. All the while, the
106. boy yelped and whined. People strolling the town’s adobe and boarded buildings yelled
107. out in disbelief and jumped away from the naked dark boy loping on all fours.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
108. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
109. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Someone get that poor child before
110. he gets hurt!” Elizabeth Merrill yelled. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
111. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
112. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Horatio, and the other men with him,
113. gave chase—grunting from their exertion, followed by Elizabeth, holding up the
114. hem of her dress with one hand and waving the blanket in the other. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
115. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
116. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The first person to gather his
117. where-for-all kicked at the yapping dogs chasing the boy. He made a grab for
118. him. The boy stopped his mad dash for freedom as soon as the young man seized
119. him. Still slathered in bear-grease, he slipped his hold, and then free again,
120. changed direction in his charge to escape. Panting and whining, his fingers and
121. toes dug into the dusty muck.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
122. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
123. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">It was then a vaquero, wearing a
124. fancy sombrero and mounted on a ewe-necked yellow-buckskin pony build a loop in
125. his rawhide riata. His horse snorted. It danced in the dust. The vaquero’s
126. spurs jangled. With a flick of his wrist, he sent the loop over the boy. He
127. yanked the slack—the riata snapping. The caught boy sat back on his haunches. He
128. quaked. He trembled. Tears flooded his face. He slumped and then went quiet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
129. <br />
130. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
131. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Lying like a dying dog in the
132. street, the boy knotted his body and whimpered. A crowd gathered around him. The
133. woman pushed through. She freed him. And then she covered him with the blanket.
134. Now cradled in her arms, he looked into her warm black eyes. He closed his eyes
135. in acceptance. In his garble, the boy said, “<i>Raven, why won’t you let me be a boy</i>.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
136. </description><link>http://mitchterrywriter.blogspot.com/2018/03/in-this-excerpt-couple-rolls-into.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Mitch Terry)</author><thr:total>0</thr:total></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5544332214809397350.post-550287181887121524</guid><pubDate>Fri, 16 Feb 2018 18:30:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2018-02-16T12:30:41.117-06:00</atom:updated><title></title><description>&lt;i&gt;In this excerpt, Horatio and Elizabeth have taken to boy onto their wagon and are headed into the night toward a nearby settlement.&lt;/i&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
137. <br />
138. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
139. <span style="background: white; color: #252525; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Her
140. hand fluttered to her lips. Her skin tingled. She pushed away from the boy.
141. “Oh, Horatio, he ain’t no Injun’.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
142. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
143. <span style="background: white; color: #252525; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“What?”
144. Horatio cocked his head.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
145. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
146. <span style="background: white; color: #252525; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Just
147. look at the poor thing. His eyes are light colored not dark like an Injun’.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
148. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
149. <span style="background: white; color: #252525; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Horatio
150. leaned over his wife to inspect the boy’s eyes that held a focus on the woman’s
151. face.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
152. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
153. <span style="background: white; color: #252525; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“I’ll
154. be go to hell,” Horatio said. “Damned if I know what to make of it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
155. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
156. <span style="background: white; color: #252525; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Mind
157. your cussing.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
158. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
159. <span style="background: white; color: #252525; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“He’s
160. as poor as the little end of nothing,” said Horatio.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
161. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
162. <span style="background: white; color: #252525; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> “Oh, the poor thing, he’s burnt and scraped.
163. Horatio, fetch that bucket of bear-grease,” she said. Holding the boy’s arm in
164. her hands, it felt limp and tiny in her grip. Let’s get him in the wagon and
165. take him on into Solomonville—maybe someone there’ll have an idea about him,”
166. she said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
167. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
168. <span style="background: white; color: #252525; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“I don’t
169. know about that, Lizzy.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
170. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
171. <span style="background: white; color: #252525; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">She
172. cut her eyes to him. “You ain’t sayin’ we’re leave ‘em him here?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
173. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
174. <span style="background: white; color: #252525; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Hesitating,
175. her husband said, “But Lizzy, he is an Injun’ no matter what color his eyes
176. are.” He cleared his throat. “It wouldn’t be safe for us to have him with us.
177. We’re still quite a spell from town. He cut his eyes to the darkened horizon.
178. “Probably won’t get there till sun-up if we keep going.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
179. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
180. <span style="background: white; color: #252525; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“That
181. wouldn’t be Christian of us. Impossible.” Shaking her head, she gave her
182. husband another look. Even harder. Her eyes set steely. “We’re taking him with
183. us.   Now here, you clean his feet and
184. hands and slather them with that grease. And any other place where he’s
185. scorched. And hurry about it. It’s gonna be too dark soon.” She held the boy up
186. by his arms. “He don’t weigh hardly a thing.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
187. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
188. <span style="background: white; color: #252525; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The
189. boy did not understand the white-eye tongue. He peered into the woman’s glowing
190. face as they leaned together. Her hair shone black. Her dark eyes flashed in
191. the low light. She smelled of sweat and smoke and sweetness. She gently stroked
192. his arm. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
193. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
194. <span style="background: white; color: #252525; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">He
195. spoke to her in his garble, “<i>I see you,
196. raven</i>.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
197. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
198. <span style="background: white; color: #252525; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Her
199. face colored. “Did you hear that, Horatio? He spoke to me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
200. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
201. <span style="background: white; color: #252525; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Her
202. husband worked his mouth like a sour taste set on his tongue. “Yes,” he said,
203. “and it don’t sound like no Apache I ever heard. There’s no telling what this
204. boy is.” He stroked his crackly beard.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
205. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
206. <span style="background: white; color: #252525; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“That’s
207. why we must take him with us,” she said. With her brow lined, the muscles in
208. her jaw twitched.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
209. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
210. <span style="background: white; color: #252525; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The
211. man tugged at his ear and then combed his beard with his fingers. With a deep,
212. weighted sigh, he said, “I don’t like it, Lizzy, but I can see you got your
213. mind set.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
214. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
215. <span style="background: white; color: #252525; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Slathered
216. in bear-grease and swaddled in a scratchy woolen lap blanket that covered
217. Elizabeth’s legs, the boy sagged on the seat beside the woman. He devoured a
218. biscuit and salty cured ham. His gummy eyes flashing in the last of the light
219. as he drank from his cup.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
220. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
221. <span style="background: white; color: #252525; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The
222. man located a peak in the distant mountain range. He bellowed, “Get up.” And he
223. goaded the mules with a slap of the lines. “We won’t make camp the night,
224. Lizzy. It might be best if we push on.” The woman nodded her agreement. The
225. animals pulled against their load. Lug chains rattled. Grunting and swaying in
226. their harness, the mules pulled the wagon onward.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
227. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
228. <span style="background: white; color: #252525; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Soon
229. the night echoed with the constant sharp <i>put-put-put</i>
230. calls of a tiny owl. Other owls joined in. And just as the man and woman felt
231. hemmed in by the unremitting racket, silence fell over the darkened land. Replaced
232. by the dull hum of hundreds of bees seeking out the evening primrose. The yips
233. and yaps of coyotes triggered the boy to sit up and whine. Elizabeth’s warm
234. touch lulled him back into sleep. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
235. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
236. <span style="background: white; color: #252525; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The
237. squeaky cry of the killdeer, the trills and riffles of the mockingbird drowning
238. out the call of the poor-will, serenaded them as they made their way toward the
239. settlement of Solomonville under a deep, dark-purple sky. The moon and
240. glittering stars shrouded by wisps of clouds. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
241. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
242. <br /></div>
243. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
244. <span style="background: white; color: #252525; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The boy slumbered for the
245. remainder of the journey, sleeping deeply. He awoke the next morning. Cradled
246. in the arms of the woman. His eyes glued shut. He took in easy, slow breaths. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The man
247. stood among other men. They smoked. They chewed tobacco and spit into the dusty
248. street. Shuffled their feet. Combing their beards with their fingers. Gathering
249. opinions on the lost desert boy. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
250. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
251. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Pinched lipped. A slight grimace on
252. his face. Horatio Merrill pulled in his brows, turned his eyes to his boot
253. toes. The other men chewed over why the boy was abandoned in the desert.
254. Pondered if his mother had died. Or if she was murdered and he wandered away.
255. Maybe he was so <i>tetched</i> that his
256. fearful people turned him out. He was Apache. That was the conclusion. In spite
257. of the queer color of his eyes. And he should be turned over to the army.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
258. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
259. <span style="background: white; color: #252525; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The
260. softness of the first light of the day, the warmth of the blanket, and the
261. woman’s embrace kept the boy floating, languidly. Voices and sounds came to him.
262. Drifting. Disconnected. Muffled and soothing. Horses snuffled and whinnied.
263. Mules brayed. Dogs barked. Cattle lowed. Quarreling crow’s caws faded until only
264. one was heard. He thought it called his name.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
265. <br />
266. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
267. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“<i>Shik’isn
268. Ba’ ts’ose</i>,” the name swirled all around, riding on the blowing dust. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
269. </description><link>http://mitchterrywriter.blogspot.com/2018/02/in-this-excerpt-horatio-and-elizabeth.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Mitch Terry)</author><thr:total>0</thr:total></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5544332214809397350.post-6947062462630820406</guid><pubDate>Thu, 01 Feb 2018 18:49:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2018-02-01T12:51:44.998-06:00</atom:updated><title></title><description>&lt;i&gt;In this excerpt, the desert boy is discovered by a White Eye couple traveling to a nearby settlement. A faithful decision is made&lt;/i&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
270. <br />
271. <br />
272. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
273. <span style="background: white; color: #252525; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The
274. man clanged around behind the seat for a tin cup. He filled it carefully to the
275. top from one of the water bags hanging from the side of the wagon. The woman
276. stood behind her husband and peered at the boy. Her tensed facial muscles kept
277. her from smiling. Her eyes narrowed, but hesitated to touch him even as she
278. reached her hand out to him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
279. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
280. <span style="background: white; color: #252525; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Taking
281. the cup, she squatted beside the boy; her blue-checkered dress billowed as she
282. set her straw hat down beside her. She brushed away the stray hairs tickling
283. her face. She shushed at the child and muttered to him in soft tones.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
284. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
285. <span style="background: white; color: #252525; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Careful
286. Lizzy, it might have the madness,” the man said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
287. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
288. <span style="background: white; color: #252525; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“You
289. hesh up now, the poor thing’s near done in,” she said. “And it ain’t no <i>it</i>.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
290. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
291. <span style="background: white; color: #252525; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Thirst
292. drove fear from the boy. He lunged at the cup. It clattered from her hands. She
293. squealed. The water soaked into the sand all at once. The boy clawed at the drying
294. spot, picking up handfuls and shoving it into his mouth. He spat and sputtered.
295. Horatio handed his wife another full cup.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
296. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
297. <span style="background: white; color: #252525; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Here,
298. here,” she said. Now the boy stood. Legs quivered. Hands shook. Eyes pleaded for
299. more. She handed the boy the cup, holding onto it. The boy’s crusty hands
300. wrapped around hers and he put the cup to his cracked lips and drank it down.
301. He gasped as he gulped. Seeming stunned that the cup was now dry; he held his
302. eyes on the woman and whimpered. Horatio handed his wife another full cup of
303. water. She passed it into the boy’s hands.  He downed it again in one gulp. His scrawny legs
304. gave way and he plopped in the sand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
305. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
306. <span style="background: white; color: #252525; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Well,
307. it’s a boy-child.” The woman sat back. “What in the world is the poor thing
308. doing way out here?” Her eyes scanned the barren landscape for sign of his
309. people.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
310. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
311. <span style="background: white; color: #252525; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“From
312. the looks of him, he’s been on his own for a spell.” And then Horatio climbed
313. into the wagon. Standing on the seat, he squinted into the fading landscape for
314. sign of others.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
315. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
316. <span style="background: white; color: #252525; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“How
317. has he stayed alive?” the woman said. “Why would someone turn a child out in
318. this God-forsaken land?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
319. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
320. <span style="background: white; color: #252525; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Don’t
321. see hide nor hair of a single soul. ‘Cept a coyote or two and some ravens off
322. yonder-ways.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
323. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
324. <span style="background: white; color: #252525; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The
325. caws and fluttering silhouettes of ravens off in the distance faded into the
326. darkening sky. Crickets crowded at the base of the creosote bushes set up a
327. near steady racket. The rasping of cicadas joined in.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
328. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
329. <span style="background: white; color: #252525; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Don’t
330. know about water, but he’s been gettin’ his fill of bugs.” Horatio pointed to
331. the crickets and parts of crickets scattered around the base of the bush.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
332. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
333. <span style="background: white; color: #252525; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Her
334. hands went to her mouth and she gasped. “Oh, poor thing.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
335. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
336. <span style="background: white; color: #252525; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“He’s
337. an Injun’, Lizzy, they eat most anything a coyote’ll eat, I ‘spect,” Horatio
338. said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
339. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
340. <span style="background: white; color: #252525; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Elizabeth
341. rubbed the boy’s greasy, knotted hair gently. Her touch radiated from the crown
342. of his head to the tips of his cracked and caked toes. His body melted. His
343. eyes, reflecting coppery in the light, turned to the strange otherworldly
344. woman.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
345. <span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">Her
346. hand fluttered to her lips. Her skin tingled. She pushed away from the boy.
347. “Oh, Horatio, he ain’t no Injun’.”&lt;/span&gt;</description><link>http://mitchterrywriter.blogspot.com/2018/02/in-this-excerpt-desert-boy-is.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Mitch Terry)</author><thr:total>0</thr:total></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5544332214809397350.post-4422974099161041816</guid><pubDate>Thu, 25 Jan 2018 14:51:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2018-01-25T08:58:20.041-06:00</atom:updated><title>The Boy Is Found</title><description>&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot; style=&quot;line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;&quot;&gt;
348. <span style="background: white; color: #252525; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><b>The Boy Is Found</b>. This excerpt is from my upcoming book, Shoodii Bill.</span></div>
349. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
350. <span style="background: white; color: #252525; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><br /></span></div>
351. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
352. <span style="background: white; color: #252525; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">H</span><span style="background: white; color: #252525; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 200%;">UNKERED DOWN BEHIND </span><span style="background: white; color: #252525; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">a
353. creosote bush, his thirst and shaking limbs held him fast. With a quick jerk of
354. his head, he flipped his greasy hair out of his face. He rocked back and forth
355. on his haunches. The sound of the approaching wagon now carried a voice, brassy
356. and annoyed. Cutting his eyes, he searched for an escape. Creosote bushes as
357. far as he could see. The wagon came on. Banging and groaning. A different voice
358. rose and fell a softer, kinder voice. Animals blew and snorted. It was too late
359. to run. He hunkered down lower to hide. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
360. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
361. <span style="background: white; color: #252525; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The
362. sunbaked wagon, loaded with goods to trade, drawn by a team of struggling mules,
363. shadowy in the low light, hove into sight. A man sat humped in the shoulders,
364. his hat pulled down over his hidden face, making sawing motions with the lines
365. in his hands. A woman sat stooped on the seat beside him. She took refuge under
366. a large straw hat more to block the blowing sand than to shield her from the
367. light that now ran low and golden across the ground. She looked fretful. The
368. man, his face flushed from the heat and frustration, goaded the drowsy mules
369. with whistles and yelps. The mules pressed on against their harness. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
370. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
371. <span style="background: white; color: #252525; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Whoa,”
372. the man’s cracked voice cut through the air. The wagon rested beside the bush
373. where the boy crouched. The wagon wheels settled into the sand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
374. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
375. <span style="background: white; color: #252525; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“It
376. smells like rain,” the woman said. Her posture stiffened as she shielded her
377. eyes. She gazed at the distant mountains now in near purple silhouette. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
378. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
379. <span style="background: white; color: #252525; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Tears
380. welled up behind the boy’s gluey eyelids. Lightness overcame him as he threw
381. back his head and let out in a high pitched, “Yip, yip, yip. . .”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
382. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
383. <span style="background: white; color: #252525; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The mules
384. reacted with jerking heads and rattling chains. The woman let out her own
385. yipping noise, while the man, who had fetched two water buckets, cursed,
386. dropped the buckets and struggled to bring a shotgun to bear. The boy whined.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
387. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
388. <span style="background: white; color: #252525; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> “Wait!” the woman said, stuttering, “That’s a
389. child.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
390. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
391. <span style="background: white; color: #252525; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The man
392. raised his sighting eye above the notch of the shotgun’s barrel and peered at
393. the naked boy.  “I’ll be go to hell if it
394. ain’t . . . .,” he said. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
395. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
396. <span style="background: white; color: #252525; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Don’t
397. be throwing curses around,” the woman said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
398. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
399. <span style="background: white; color: #252525; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I
400. could a-swore it was a coyote.” He knitted his brow and dropped the end of the
401. shotgun barrel, pointing it to the ground.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
402. <br />
403. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
404. <span style="background: white; color: #252525; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Don’t
405. just stand there Horatio, do something. That poor thing looks near cooked to
406. death. Fetch some water.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
407. </description><link>http://mitchterrywriter.blogspot.com/2018/01/the-boy-is-found.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Mitch Terry)</author><thr:total>0</thr:total></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5544332214809397350.post-1145719016675510560</guid><pubDate>Thu, 18 Jan 2018 15:15:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2018-01-18T09:16:00.010-06:00</atom:updated><title></title><description>The story of Shoodii Bill begins:&lt;br /&gt;
408. <br />
409. <div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: right;">
410. <b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">PART 1<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
411. <div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: right;">
412. <b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The Raven Tells Coyote, “Run To The
413. Mountain To Be a Man.”<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
414. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
415. <br /></div>
416. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
417. <span style="background: white; color: #252525; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">T</span><span style="background: white; color: #252525; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">URQUOISE AND SILVERY </span><span style="background: white; color: #252525; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">as
418. the dying sky, a rubbery lizard</span><span style="background: white; color: #252525; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><span style="background: white; color: #252525; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">skittered across the ground to mount a rock still holding
419. heat from the mid-day sun. From the rim of the Gila Mountains, copper light
420. poured onto the desert glinting on creosote bushes, throwing long purple
421. shadows lacey and cool. Cicada’s raspy reverberations rode on invisible
422. heat-waves. Sand swirled and trickled along the ground. It smelled like rain.
423. However, it was the deceiving scent of creosote bushes in their full
424. heat-soaked flowering. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
425. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
426. <span style="background: white; color: #252525; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Naked,
427. filthy, and blackened as dark as a raven, a child scampered on all fours for
428. shade and the promise of water. His pulse raced. His chest tightened. Like an
429. overwrought pup, he whimpered when no water was found. The skin on his hands
430. and feet, blistered and scraped raw from the sand no ­longer plagued him as
431. much as the flies that teemed and swarmed the scabbed over corners of his eyes
432. and mouth. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
433. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
434. <span style="background: white; color: #252525; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Just
435. then, a raven swooped down and landed beside him. Golden light flashed off its
436. feathers. It strutted. It humped up and fluffed out. Fanning out its tail
437. feathers it shook off the heat. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
438. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
439. <span style="background: white; color: #252525; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Squinting,
440. the child angled away from the suspect bird. Not having the strength to run,
441. the sweltered child cocked his head to the side. He turned his gummy-lidded
442. eyes to the bird. In a strained voice, he spoke to it in a garble. Not Apache,
443. something else.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
444. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
445. <span style="background: white; color: #252525; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“<i>You said there was water here</i>.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
446. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
447. <span style="background: white; color: #252525; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Full
448. of bluster, the raven twitched its head and blinked its beady black eyes and then
449. it said, “</span><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">C<span style="background: white; color: #252525;">an you not smell the water, Shik’isn Ba’ ts’ose</span></span></i><span style="background: white; color: #252525; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
450. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
451. <span style="background: white; color: #252525; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The
452. child sat back on his haunches. Closing his eyes, he drew hot air and the
453. tricking smell of the creosote bush in through his nose. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
454. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
455. <span style="background: white; color: #252525; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“<i>Trickster</i>,” he huffed, and then he
456. rubbed his cracked lips with the back of his hand. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
457. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
458. <span style="background: white; color: #252525; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“<i>No more than you</i>,” said the raven,
459. bitingly. “<i>But look there</i>. <i>I have brought you to food</i>.” With that,
460. the raven fluffed out its feathers, humped up again and then flew away with
461. goading squawks and raucous laughter that echoed in the spicy air.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
462. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
463. <span style="background: white; color: #252525; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Reaching
464. out, the child grabbed for a grasshopper perched on a sticky leaf. It snapped
465. away. A leg broke off in his fingers. But then the doomed insect bounced off a
466. yellow flower in its attempt to make for freedom, and the boy caught it.
467. Crunching it, he chewed with his hand covering his mouth. And then he gorged on
468. the crickets that gathered around the base of the bush. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
469. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
470. <span style="background: white; color: #252525; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Soon,
471. the raven returned. The child’s stomach quivered. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
472. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
473. <span style="background: white; color: #252525; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“<i>Remember my kindness to you</i>,” said the
474. raven. “<i>Yonder come White Eyes flush with
475. water</i>.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
476. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
477. <span style="background: white; color: #252525; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Having
478. never seen White Eyes, he bared his teeth and raised his head and strained his vision.
479. His thirst narrowed his throat and squeezed his chest. It heaved with each
480. tortuous breath. He saw no one, a mirage—yellow-green—wavered in the low
481. light.  And then he heard the rattle of
482. chains and the groan of a wagon and the blowing of struggling animals.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
483. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
484. <span style="background: white; color: #252525; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“<i>It’s time for you to change into a boy</i>, <i>Shik’sin Ba’ts’ose</i>,” said the raven.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
485. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
486. <span style="background: white; color: #252525; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The
487. child held out a fat, red-eyed cicada pinched between his raw fingers. “<i>I know you hoped to eat my eyes instead, but
488. here</i>.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
489. <br />
490. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
491. <span style="background: white; color: #252525; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> “<i>I will
492. have them soon enough</i>.” Taking the whirring cicada in its beak and before
493. the raven flew away, it said, “<i>Never
494. forget who you are, Shik’sin Ba’ts’ose</i>, <i>never
495. forget…</i>” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
496. </description><link>http://mitchterrywriter.blogspot.com/2018/01/the-story-of-shoodii-bill-begins-part-1.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Mitch Terry)</author><thr:total>0</thr:total></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5544332214809397350.post-8866081939714078955</guid><pubDate>Thu, 11 Jan 2018 18:16:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2018-01-11T12:16:42.201-06:00</atom:updated><title></title><description>Today i&#39;m posting the coyote and raven myth that comes up first in my new book, Shoodii Bill. This poem is based on a cautionary children&#39;s story that i wrote many years ago as, The Raven Shirt. After the poem, the story of Shoodii Bill begins. I&#39;ll post that later.&lt;br /&gt;
497. <br />
498. <br />
499. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
500. <b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In the
501. Moon of the Great Ghost Face<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
502. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
503. <br /></div>
504. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
505. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In the moon of the great ghost face,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
506. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
507. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In the shadow of the Mountain,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
508. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
509. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Along the banks of the Gila,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
510. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
511. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Coyotero Apache dwell.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
512. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
513. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Wiciup of willow and grass; <o:p></o:p></span></div>
514. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
515. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Bluestem, bear grass, lashed with yucca.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
516. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
517. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Hide and smoke, and vessels of clay,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
518. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
519. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Burden baskets willow woven,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
520. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
521. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Devil’s claw adorned, buckskin trimmed,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
522. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
523. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Bears all; food, wood, and swaddled babes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
524. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
525. <br /></div>
526. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
527. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In the moon of the great ghost face,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
528. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
529. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In the shadow of the mountain,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
530. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
531. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Along the banks of the Gila,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
532. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
533. <i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Ishkiin</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> a boy, and
534. a dreamer;<o:p></o:p></span></div>
535. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
536. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Dreams night and day of taking flight.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
537. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
538. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Awake, asleep, he dreams to fly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
539. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
540. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Nighttime he slumbers among the stars.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
541. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
542. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">He slumbers, he dreams, and he soars.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
543. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
544. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In dreams he blazes through the sky,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
545. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
546. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">A shooting star, streaking the night.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
547. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
548. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Dawn creeps in, slides into his eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
549. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
550. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">A shifting feeling near his heart,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
551. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
552. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Drumming his heartbeat of longings.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
553. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
554. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">A new day, a new day to dream,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
555. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
556. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Quickening breathlessness, yearnings.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
557. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
558. <br /></div>
559. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
560. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In the moon of the great ghost face,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
561. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
562. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In the shadow of the mountain,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
563. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
564. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Along the banks of the Gila,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
565. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
566. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Sycamore, walnut, maple, ash,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
567. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
568. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Cottonwood, alder, and willow.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
569. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
570. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Gurgling croaks and scratchy caws;<o:p></o:p></span></div>
571. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
572. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Ravens like black seeds flung skyward,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
573. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
574. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Skyward into the gloomy face.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
575. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
576. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">A face gray with winter’s warning.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
577. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
578. <br /></div>
579. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
580. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In the moon of the great ghost face,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
581. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
582. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In the shadow of the mountain,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
583. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
584. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Along the banks of the Gila,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
585. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
586. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Cold, biting ice and blowing snow.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
587. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
588. <i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Ishkiin’s </span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">heart
589. throbs, gallops, and flies.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
590. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
591. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Arms unfurl, fingers touch the wind.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
592. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
593. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Leaning into the swirl of snow,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
594. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
595. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">To be a raven, to soar high,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
596. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
597. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Fingers aching, tingling to fly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
598. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
599. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">His heart thuds dully in his chest, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
600. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
601. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Arms too heavy to lift or move.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
602. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
603. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Heat and tears well behind his eyes,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
604. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
605. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Spill and freeze upon his brown cheeks.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
606. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
607. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Oh, to touch the raven’s wing…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
608. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
609. <br /></div>
610. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
611. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In the moon of the great ghost face,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
612. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
613. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In the shadow of the mountain,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
614. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
615. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Along the banks of the Gila,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
616. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
617. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Upon his bear grass bed he lays,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
618. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
619. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Underneath his warm, red-wolf robe.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
620. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
621. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Threads of smoke from embers trailing,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
622. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
623. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Ascend like prayers through the smoke hole.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
624. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
625. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Sleep will not come—dreams forsaken. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
626. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
627. <br /></div>
628. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
629. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">A rustle in the shadows move.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
630. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
631. <i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Ishkiin </span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">stirs live
632. embers for light.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
633. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
634. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">To the willow a raven clings.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
635. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
636. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In the shadows, feathers ruffle.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
637. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
638. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“<i>Shike’ dahnnah</i>,
639. you follow me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
640. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
641. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The raven’s eyes flash in the dark.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
642. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
643. <br /></div>
644. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
645. <br /></div>
646. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
647. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In the moon of the great ghost face,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
648. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
649. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In the shadow of the mountain,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
650. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
651. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Upon the banks for the Gila,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
652. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
653. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Moccasin dance in the new snow.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
654. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
655. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Vapors of warm breath float and swirl,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
656. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
657. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">He pulls his robe against the cold.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
658. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
659. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Upon the wiciup the bird clings.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
660. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
661. <br /></div>
662. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
663. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“<i>Ishkiin</i>, you are
664. the boy who flies?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
665. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
666. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The boy’s tongue lay mute in his mouth. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
667. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
668. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“<i>Hasidah, hasidah</i>,”
669. it said,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
670. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
671. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“You climb up there, <i>Ishkiin</i>,
672. up there.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
673. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
674. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“<i>Ba’ ts’ose</i>, a
675. shaman dwells,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
676. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
677. <i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Ba’ ts’ose</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">, coyote
678. knows. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
679. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
680. <i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Bayani’</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">, elderly
681. one knows.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
682. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
683. <br /></div>
684. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
685. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The boy’s heart froze, and then it pounds.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
686. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
687. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Still his tongue lay dead in his mouth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
688. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
689. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">His thoughts scramble to understand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
690. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
691. <br /></div>
692. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
693. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In the moon of the great ghost face,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
694. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
695. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In the shadow of the mountain,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
696. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
697. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Upon the banks of the Gila,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
698. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
699. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The mountain’s breath stirs the hoar frost,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
700. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
701. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Grown crystalline in the snow.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
702. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
703. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Biting cold nips inside his nose,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
704. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
705. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Vapors erupt with each footfall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
706. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
707. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">His muscles clinch along his jaw.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
708. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
709. <br /></div>
710. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
711. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Upon the mountain he ascends.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
712. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
713. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Laboring tracks trail in the snow.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
714. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
715. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Sycamore, walnut, maple, ash,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
716. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
717. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Cottonwood, alder and willow.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
718. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
719. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Up through the pinyon-juniper,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
720. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
721. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Through the darkness of the tall pine,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
722. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
723. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Past the feathery topped spruce-fur, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
724. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
725. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Up above the quaking aspen,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
726. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
727. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Moccasin feet tread through the snow.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
728. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
729. <br /></div>
730. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
731. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In the moon of the great ghost face,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
732. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
733. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In the shadow of the mountain,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
734. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
735. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Along the banks of the Gila,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
736. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
737. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Hunkered down by a small fire,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
738. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
739. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Sheltered in an ancient dwelling,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
740. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
741. <i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Ishkiin </span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">unearths <i>Ba’ ts’ose</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
742. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
743. <br /></div>
744. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
745. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">A shaman sheltered from the cold,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
746. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
747. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Eerie eyes in the glow of light,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
748. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
749. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Age-old eyes, eyes of dark magic.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
750. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
751. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Fragrant piney-pinion embers<o:p></o:p></span></div>
752. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
753. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Sending threads of smoke heaven bound<o:p></o:p></span></div>
754. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
755. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Mix with the smell of dried nettles,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
756. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
757. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Jimson weed, roots, and earth odor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
758. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
759. <br /></div>
760. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
761. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“You are Ishkiin, the boy who flies?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
762. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
763. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">His cracked voice carries forewarning;<o:p></o:p></span></div>
764. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
765. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">A shaman, trickster, coyote.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
766. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
767. <i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Ba’ ts’ose </span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">tosses
768. wood to flame,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
769. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
770. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Burning brightly in the kiva.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
771. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
772. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Quivering shadows jump and dance;<o:p></o:p></span></div>
773. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
774. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Glowing orange in the kiva.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
775. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
776. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Painted creatures and shaman show,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
777. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
778. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Painted walls of magical dreams.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
779. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
780. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The warmth settles <i>Ishkiin’s
781. </i>sad heart,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
782. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
783. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Rubbing his hands and aching legs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
784. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
785. <br /></div>
786. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
787. <i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Ba’ ts’ose</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> takes
788. from the shadows<o:p></o:p></span></div>
789. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
790. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">A painted parfleche he opens.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
791. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
792. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">A hide shirt, quilled with raven dreams;<o:p></o:p></span></div>
793. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
794. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Dreams of magic raven rising.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
795. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
796. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Adorned with feathers black as raven, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
797. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
798. <i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Ba’ ts’ose</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> holds the
799. magic shirt.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
800. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
801. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Raven shirt, mystic shirt, dreamlike.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
802. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
803. <i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Ishkiin</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> wears the
804. magical skin,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
805. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
806. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Spreading his arms, the feathers stream.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
807. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
808. <br /></div>
809. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
810. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Clay vessels born of earth and fire,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
811. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
812. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Formed and smoked and etched with outline.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
813. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
814. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Held colored sand ground for magic.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
815. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
816. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">White gypsum crushed, yellow ochre,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
817. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
818. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Charcoal and gypsum render blue,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
819. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
820. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Red sandstone and charcoal yields brown,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
821. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
822. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Browns of the earth, blues of the sky.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
823. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
824. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Sandstone and gypsum makes dawn’s blush.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
825. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
826. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Flower pollen of rainbow hues,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
827. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
828. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Corn meal pigment and roots and bark.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
829. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
830. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">To be a sacred dream painting.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
831. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
832. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">To chant, dance, and seek a vision.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
833. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
834. <br /></div>
835. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
836. <i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Ba’ ts’ose </span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">makes his
837. magic.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
838. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
839. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">With four sacred feathers in hand,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
840. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
841. <i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Ishkiin </span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">sways,
842. hops, shuffling feet, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
843. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
844. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Chanting a song from <i>Ba’
845. ts’ose</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
846. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
847. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Colored sand dances in the dirt,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
848. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
849. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Raven’s image appears slowly,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
850. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
851. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Encircled by sacred feathers,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
852. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
853. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Colors of the four directions,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
854. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
855. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Colors of the sacred sun,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
856. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
857. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Colors of the sacred moon,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
858. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
859. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Trickle between nimble fingers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
860. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
861. <br /></div>
862. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
863. <i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Ba’ ts’ose</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> sings his
864. divine chant,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
865. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
866. <i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Ishkiin </span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">twirls,<i> </i>encircles with dance,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
867. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
868. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In the orange glow of the Kiva.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
869. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
870. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Night to day and then day to night,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
871. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
872. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">All the while he seeks a vision.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
873. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
874. <br /></div>
875. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
876. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">On the third night, the wind blows cold,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
877. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
878. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Pinion wood embers blush glowingly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
879. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
880. <i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Ba’ ts’ose</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> rises
881. from his crouch,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
882. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
883. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">His fingers stained with earth’s colors.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
884. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
885. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Trembling, <i>Ishkiin’s </i>eyes
886. sparkle,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
887. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
888. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Gleaming with expectation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
889. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
890. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Guided to the sacred painting,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
891. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
892. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">He rests on the magical image.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
893. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
894. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Emptiness gnaws at his stomach.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
895. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
896. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">He fights faintness, twitchy muscles,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
897. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
898. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Quivering heart, quickening breath.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
899. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
900. <i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Ba’ ts’ose</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> chants
901. and fans smudged smoke.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
902. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
903. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Purified with sage and cedar,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
904. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
905. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">A new song to raven he sings,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
906. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
907. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">A new song to bring the vision.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
908. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
909. <br /></div>
910. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
911. <i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Ishkiin </span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">feels the
912. magic power.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
913. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
914. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">His eyes close, his breath comes quickly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
915. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
916. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Soon, he is envisaging dreams.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
917. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
918. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Flight, flight enchanting and tranquil.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
919. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
920. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In his vision he’s a raven.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
921. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
922. <br /></div>
923. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
924. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Mountain breath blows through the kiva<o:p></o:p></span></div>
925. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
926. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Howling low, stirring the magic.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
927. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
928. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Colors of the four directions<o:p></o:p></span></div>
929. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
930. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Swirl and drift, mix and blow away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
931. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
932. <br /></div>
933. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
934. <i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Ishkiin </span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">stirs,<i> </i>awakens, startled.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
935. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
936. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Cold wind drifts snow in the kiva.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
937. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
938. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Shimmering eyes scan the shadows.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
939. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
940. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The shaman, <i>Ba’ ts’ose</i>
941. has gone.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
942. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
943. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Deserted, he stretches his arms;<o:p></o:p></span></div>
944. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
945. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Quivering arms, feathered and black.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
946. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
947. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Could it be his vision came true?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
948. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
949. <br /></div>
950. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
951. <i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Ishkiin </span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">has become
952. a raven?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
953. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
954. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">His heart’s desire, his longings filled?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
955. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
956. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">With his long feathered arms outstretched<o:p></o:p></span></div>
957. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
958. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">His heart is light and he ascends.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
959. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
960. <br /></div>
961. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
962. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">From the kiva, the raven wings.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
963. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
964. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The raven, who was the boy, rises,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
965. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
966. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Soaring into the cold dusky sky;<o:p></o:p></span></div>
967. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
968. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">A sky of gloom, a dreary sky,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
969. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
970. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">A vast open sky to discover.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
971. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
972. <br /></div>
973. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
974. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Over the brow of the mountain,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
975. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
976. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Above the crest, the snowy peak,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
977. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
978. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Crowning the summit with eagles.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
979. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
980. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The moon’s face watches from above.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
981. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
982. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Night to day and then day to night,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
983. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
984. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">All the while he lives his vision,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
985. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
986. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Taking wing in his endless flight.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
987. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
988. <br /></div>
989. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
990. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The boundless night gives way to dawn.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
991. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
992. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Morning’s blush; sandstone and gypsum.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
993. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
994. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Come the first light, <i>Ishkiin
995. </i>settles,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
996. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
997. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Shivering from the bitter cold.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
998. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
999. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Into the new dawn, ice-covered,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
1000. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
1001. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The thrill of flight wans with hunger.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
1002. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
1003. <br /></div>
1004. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
1005. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Oh, what fate is this?” the boy cries.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
1006. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
1007. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“I no longer desire to fly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
1008. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
1009. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I want to be a boy again!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
1010. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
1011. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Tears glistening in <i>Ishkiin’s</i>
1012. eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
1013. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
1014. <br /></div>
1015. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
1016. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Taking wing he sets out for home.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
1017. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
1018. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Gliding down the rocky cliff face,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
1019. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
1020. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Soaring by the quaking aspen,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
1021. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
1022. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Past the feathery topped spruce-fur, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
1023. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
1024. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Through the snow covered tall pine trees,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
1025. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
1026. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Down through the pinyon-juniper;<o:p></o:p></span></div>
1027. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
1028. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Sycamore, walnut, maple, ash,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
1029. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
1030. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Cottonwood, alder and willow.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
1031. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
1032. <br /></div>
1033. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
1034. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In the moon of the great ghost face,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
1035. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
1036. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In the shadow of the mountain,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
1037. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
1038. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Along the banks of the Gila,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
1039. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
1040. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The coming dawn guides his flight home.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
1041. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
1042. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Wiciups bathed in blue sunlight,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
1043. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
1044. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Smoke, heaven bound, trails through smoke holes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
1045. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
1046. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Outside his wiciup, he calls, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
1047. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
1048. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“<i>Haighah, </i>come
1049. out! Come out!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
1050. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
1051. <i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Ba’ ts’ose</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">, appears
1052. as the boy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
1053. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
1054. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Wearing the red-wolf robe, he smiles.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
1055. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
1056. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“You are Ishkiin, the boy who flies.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
1057. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
1058. <br /></div>
1059. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
1060. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Coyote, shaman, you trickster,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
1061. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
1062. <i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The People</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> will see
1063. through your hoax.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
1064. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
1065. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Change me back, coyote, change me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
1066. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
1067. <br /></div>
1068. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
1069. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> “<i>The People</i> see you, boy, not me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
1070. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
1071. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">And they see a raven, not you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
1072. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
1073. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Now you want back what you had?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
1074. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
1075. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">But that you will not have again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
1076. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
1077. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I know the song to sing to change,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
1078. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
1079. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">And frozen in the snow you sit.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
1080. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
1081. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">You are <i>Ishkiin,</i>
1082. the boy who flies.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
1083. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
1084. <br /></div>
1085. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
1086. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In the moon of the great ghost face,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
1087. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
1088. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In the shadow of the mountain,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
1089. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
1090. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Along the banks of the Gila,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
1091. <br />
1092. <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
1093. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Flies a raven, who was a boy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
1094. </description><link>http://mitchterrywriter.blogspot.com/2018/01/today-im-posting-coyote-and-raven-myth.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Mitch Terry)</author><thr:total>0</thr:total></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5544332214809397350.post-5209659846962173993</guid><pubDate>Wed, 03 Jan 2018 00:01:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2018-01-02T18:01:42.762-06:00</atom:updated><title>Starting something different.</title><description>I am working on a new book titled, Shoodii Bill in The Moon of the Great Ghost Face. It&#39;s a coyote and raven myth set in Arizona and ending up in central Oklahoma. I will post my progress as I write and hope to get some positive feedback and suggestions. My first post will be the back page blurb that will be on the back of the book:&lt;br /&gt;
1095. <br />
1096. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
1097. <span style="background: white; color: #252525; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">WHAT WENT WRONG </span><span style="background: white; color: #252525; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">in a blood soaked ravine down in Mexico was unavoidable—a
1098. misunderstanding. He had no choice. He did what he did and now he is on the
1099. run. Not that an Apache scout shooting another Apache scout is unforgivable, but
1100. he rides off on a white-eye cavalry officer’s prized horse.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
1101. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
1102. <span style="background: white; color: #252525; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">A
1103. sorry-looking skeleton of a young man, his olive-drab breeches sag in the hind
1104. end. Long and slim, his features sharp. A persistent toothsome uplift of his
1105. mouth lacks warmth. He carries a weary expression all the time like he’s slinking
1106. around. Like he’s always hungry giving the impression that he’s miserably
1107. forsaken. None of it true, for the most part.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
1108. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
1109. <span style="background: white; color: #252525; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Shoodii
1110. Bill’s job is simple; bring back Lieutenant Ely’s horse stolen by the Mexicans.
1111. However, hidden in the shadows his whole life, and nearly forgotten, a voice,
1112. barely a whisper, floats on the heated air—</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“<i>Shik’isn
1113. Ba’ ts’ose</i>,”<span style="background: white; color: #252525;"> Could it be the
1114. sound of the wind or is it coming from his Sargent who openly holds him in
1115. disdain? Tremors shake his body. Squeezing his eyes shut, he claps his hands
1116. over his ears shaking his head to dislodge the whispering voice. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
1117. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
1118. <span style="background: white; color: #252525; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">And
1119. for reasons unknown to the other Apache scouts, Shoodii Bill raises his rifle
1120. and shoots Sergeant Big Chow, an Apache scout. The sergeant drops from sight. Shoodii
1121. Bill knows he cannot explain his peculiar reason for shooting the sergeant. No
1122. one moves a muscle to stop him as he swings aboard the big bay and lights out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
1123. <br />
1124. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
1125. <span style="background: white; color: #252525; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><span style="background: white; color: #252525; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The
1126. Calvary</span><span style="background: white; color: #252525; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><span style="background: white; color: #252525; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">calls it murder and desertion. Shoodii Bill sees it differently.
1127. No one will believe his story. He knows this to be true from living among the
1128. white-eyes. They consider him an Indian and never trust him. To the Apache he is
1129. said to be a <i>Ch’iin—</i>an evil spirit—a
1130. ghost. How Shoodii Bill came to live with the white-eyes and ride with the
1131. Apache scouts down into Mexico, chasing Mexican horse thieves, and his flight
1132. into the great unknown, is a long story . . .</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
1133. <br />
1134. &lt;br /&gt;</description><link>http://mitchterrywriter.blogspot.com/2018/01/starting-something-different.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Mitch Terry)</author><thr:total>0</thr:total></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5544332214809397350.post-90362754128882250</guid><pubDate>Tue, 31 Dec 2013 17:16:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2013-12-31T11:16:51.014-06:00</atom:updated><title>Riding Buffaloes is ready for purchase</title><description>My latest book, &quot;Riding Buffaloes&quot; is now ready for purchase. Go to www.mitchterry.com or Amazon.com to get it. A big thank you to Ali Williams of redroosterdesign.com for her great effort on this project.&lt;div&gt;
1135. <br /></div>
1136. </description><link>http://mitchterrywriter.blogspot.com/2013/12/riding-buffaloes-is-ready-for-purchase.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Mitch Terry)</author><thr:total>0</thr:total></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5544332214809397350.post-6498903358467834611</guid><pubDate>Tue, 24 Dec 2013 01:48:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2013-12-23T19:48:51.694-06:00</atom:updated><title>new web site</title><description>go to www.mitchterry.com and view the new redesigned web page created for me by ali williams at redroosterdesign.com.</description><link>http://mitchterrywriter.blogspot.com/2013/12/new-web-site.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Mitch Terry)</author><thr:total>0</thr:total></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5544332214809397350.post-8338194925868330474</guid><pubDate>Wed, 02 Oct 2013 02:02:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2013-10-01T21:02:55.370-05:00</atom:updated><title>i&#39;m going to be on the huffington post.</title><description>yesterday i got an email from the huffington post telling me that a short story i submitted was accepted. not just accepted but in their opinion, one of the finest stories they&#39;ve received. I will be published in the huffington post within the next few months with my picture and biography. needless to say i&#39;m speechless and stunned. i thanked them very much and told them i had to read their email several times to realize that it wasn&#39;t the nicest rejection notice i&#39;ve ever received. so look for it. its the first 5000 words from my book, &quot;Okiehomeland.&quot; i started it the other day and it&#39;s going famously. oh, by the way, look for my book, &quot;Riding Buffaloes&quot; this month. busy busy busy.</description><link>http://mitchterrywriter.blogspot.com/2013/10/im-going-to-be-on-huffington-post.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Mitch Terry)</author><thr:total>0</thr:total></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5544332214809397350.post-4595636314145777154</guid><pubDate>Thu, 19 Sep 2013 22:52:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2013-12-23T19:43:05.950-06:00</atom:updated><title>finally finished it</title><description>. . . I just typed . . . &quot;THE END&quot; to my story, &quot;Riding Buffaloes.&quot; It is such a bizarre sensation. So, i have giving it a rewrite, and now i&#39;ll send it off to be edited and when i get it back i&#39;ll do another rewrite and then maybe, it&#39;ll be ready for publication.</description><link>http://mitchterrywriter.blogspot.com/2013/09/blog-post.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Mitch Terry)</author><thr:total>0</thr:total></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5544332214809397350.post-8226951925919337659</guid><pubDate>Sun, 01 Sep 2013 17:34:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2013-12-23T19:46:53.067-06:00</atom:updated><title>rewriting</title><description>&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot; style=&quot;line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;&quot;&gt;
1137. <span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">I am now into the rewrite phase of my up coming book, "Riding Buffaloes." I came across this:</span></div>
1138. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
1139. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Young Johnny Journeycake squatted where
1140. Lucille and Earl Dean lay on the dirt floor of the cabin. The morning light
1141. rays angled through the cracks and crannies of the old home place and speckled
1142. the ground. Dust boles danced in the beams of light. Lucille and Earl Dean huddled
1143. together under Earl Dean’s jacket, her head resting on his chest. Young Johnny
1144. wandered over to the old home place on foot after his breakfast and now he eyed
1145. the couple with his head cocked to one side in a curious manner as they slept. Without
1146. a sound, he dug into a small flour sack with long knuckle-boned fingers and
1147. brought out a floury biscuit and he nibbled at it. With his head cocked the
1148. other direction, he marveled at how they slept through the frantic songs of the
1149. house wrens vying for nesting territory around the cabin. He sniffled. Lucille’s
1150. eyes cracked opened and she peered at the Indian boy. His stoic coppery face
1151. stretched into a broad toothy smile.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
1152. </description><link>http://mitchterrywriter.blogspot.com/2013/09/i-am-now-into-rewrite-phase-of-my-up.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Mitch Terry)</author><thr:total>0</thr:total></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5544332214809397350.post-2929086929498117107</guid><pubDate>Sun, 11 Aug 2013 14:55:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2013-12-23T19:47:22.855-06:00</atom:updated><title>another fork in the road</title><description>In the story, &quot;Riding Buffaloes,&quot; Earl Dean has come to yet another fork in the road in his marriage to Lucille. Now moving closer to a resolution, he ponders the latest set back . . . and the buffalo.&lt;br /&gt;
1153. <br />
1154. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
1155. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Earl Dean was astounded by his
1156. hesitation. He should have balked more, but then he also felt defeated that he
1157. was so quick to capitulate. His life was truly not his anymore―seeming to be in
1158. total ruin. The ride home was a nightmare. Although careful not to malign
1159. Lucille in anyway, his aunt and uncle let their feelings and thoughts on the
1160. matter be known. Their voices swirling around his ears like the wind coming through
1161. the open windows―catching a word now and then―nodding his head in
1162. response―grunting out an agreement. But in his mind he had two choices―give up his
1163. wife or fight to keep her. He settled on fighting to keep her. But then he wondered
1164. if it was to save his marriage or to wreck his good-for-nothing cousin’s aims.
1165. He knew in his heart the buffalo was all that mattered to Lucille. Then he
1166. shuddered at the thought of it with a bullet between its eyes.  If they found it dead it would be as though he
1167. pulled the trigger himself. In the midst of the entire debacle, a satisfied
1168. smile crept across his face. It occurred to him that he might be as drunk on
1169. the whole messy state of affairs as if he were drunk on moonshine.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
1170. <br />
1171. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
1172. <br /></div>
1173. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
1174. <br /></div>
1175. </description><link>http://mitchterrywriter.blogspot.com/2013/08/in-story-riding-buffaloes-earl-dean-has.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Mitch Terry)</author><thr:total>0</thr:total></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5544332214809397350.post-5109860403156686983</guid><pubDate>Fri, 09 Aug 2013 17:33:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2013-08-09T12:33:14.656-05:00</atom:updated><title>Excerpt from my upcoming book, &quot;Riding Buffaloes.&quot; </title><description>&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot; style=&quot;line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;&quot;&gt;
1176. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">This is from the last chapter of the book:</span></div>
1177. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
1178. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><br /></span></div>
1179. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
1180. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Look-it what I found,” Little Orive
1181. declared holding up a jar of amber colored liquid. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
1182. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
1183. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Hey, that’s uncle Benny’s personal
1184. stash. He won’t favor you getting’ into it,” Woodrow said. “You leave it be
1185. now, ya hear? He’ll skin you alive. He won’t care if you are kin.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
1186. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
1187. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Little Orvie put the jar back in place,
1188. but T.W. was always the adventurous one and so he opened it and took a sniff of
1189. the liquid. Little Orvie stuck his nose over the lip of the jar. T.W. handed it
1190. to him and with a quick jerk of his chin he indicated that he should try some
1191. of it. Little Orvie cut his eyes to Woodrow who was sacked out. Only his boots
1192. could be seen and his feet looked like he was asleep.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
1193. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
1194. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“We could dip our beaks in every jar
1195. here and refill them with water. This shit’s so strong it might improve it,”
1196. T.W. whispered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
1197. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
1198. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Little Orvie tipped the jar to his lips
1199. and took a swallow. Sweat broke out on his face―the wildcat whiskey that his
1200. uncle used to cut the beer taking his breath away. His eyes bulged and his face
1201. became a contorted mask from the burning effects of the liquor. He clamped his
1202. eyes shut, furrowing his brow to fight back the headache that came on him. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
1203. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
1204. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Purty good stuff, huh?”  T.W. said grinning. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
1205. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
1206. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“He’s flavored it with apricot,” Little
1207. Orvie said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
1208. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
1209. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">T.W. tipped the jar back and took a big
1210. drink and repeated the same contorted antics that his brother went through. The
1211. two men snorted and giggled. Before they knew it, the jar was near empty and they
1212. were both roaring drunk.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
1213. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
1214. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Now into their second jar, the boys
1215. settled back and smoked. Little Orvie pulled a tarpaulin off their uncle’s
1216. still and was looking it over when T.W. made the comment that he should try
1217. riding the buffalo since it was so tame. Little Orvie was hesitant but with sufficient
1218. prodding, he was persuaded to sit on it while it was hemmed in the stall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
1219. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
1220. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“What’ll I hold on to?” Little Orvie
1221. asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
1222. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
1223. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Shit, just pile on and grab hold a-his
1224. horns, that’s what I’d do,” T.W. said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
1225. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
1226. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Well then whyn’t you just go ahead on
1227. and do it then if you’re so brave?” Little Orvie said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
1228. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
1229. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">T.W. stifled a laugh. “Cause I ain’t
1230. near as drunk as you are,” he whispered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
1231. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
1232. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Well, all right, then,” Little Orvie
1233. said and he went to the stall and climb it. Standing above the buffalo, he lost
1234. his courage and tried to back down.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
1235. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
1236. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Shit,” I knowed you wouldn’t do it,”
1237. T.W. taunted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
1238. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
1239. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I’ll show you,” Little Orvie declared
1240. and tossed his burning cigarette to the side. It landed in the wooden crate
1241. that held the jars of choc packed in hay. The dried material went up fast, but
1242. they did not notice it because Little Orvie let out a loud Indian hoop and holler
1243. when he threw himself onto the buffalo’s hump. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
1244. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
1245. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The buffalo bellowed and fought to get
1246. away, but it was hemmed in so all it could do was buck in place. T.W. jumped to
1247. his feet to go the aid off his brother who lost his grip and slipped down into
1248. the stall. He screamed for help and Woodrow sat up in a start. Unaware that the
1249. barn was now on fire, T.W. struggled to open the gate to the stall, but it was wired
1250. shut to keep the buffalo in. The horses were screaming with fear and fought
1251. against their tethers. The barn filled with smoke as Woodrow went to set the
1252. horses free.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
1253. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
1254. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Open the god damn barn door, T.W.”
1255. Woodrow yelled out. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
1256. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
1257. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">T.W. left the stall  where Little
1258. Orvie was being stomped to death and ran for the barn door. Woodrow untied the
1259. panicked horses and they reared and charged for the door, too. At that same
1260. moment, the buffalo busted through the stall gate and charged through the frightened
1261. horses and was on top of T.W. before he could unlatch the barn door. The
1262. buffalo hit him head on and pushed T.W. through the splintered door followed by
1263. the horses thundering over him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
1264. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
1265. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Woodrow staggered out of the smoke and
1266. fire dragging Little Orvie by the arm. Now engulfed in flames that dripped from
1267. the roof like water, the three boys lay on the ground wondering why they were
1268. still alive.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
1269. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
1270. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“You alive, Little Orvie?” Woodrow said
1271. and then he coughed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
1272. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
1273. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“It’s hard to breathe,” gasped Little
1274. Orvie.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
1275. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
1276. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Probably a broke rib or two,” Woodrow
1277. said. “How ‘bout you T.W.?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
1278. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
1279. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I’m okay,” he said sitting up. “Skint
1280. up some.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
1281. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
1282. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Woodrow could tell T.W.’s shoulder was
1283. dislocated because it hung lower than the other one. Also, his left ear was
1284. hanging off his head by a piece of skin. Most of his clothes were torn off and
1285. he was covered in scrapes and cuts.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
1286. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
1287. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Yeah, you look fine to me,” Woodrow
1288. said and then he looked back at the burning, smoking rubble that once was their
1289. uncle’s barn. “Boy’s we best head for the hills. Uncle Benny’ll be gunnin’ for
1290. us for sure now.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
1291. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
1292. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Let’s not tell him we did it,” T.W.
1293. said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
1294. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
1295. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“You was always the smart one,” Woodrow
1296. said. “I’ll see if I can run down the horses and then get us to a doc.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
1297. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
1298. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“What about the buffalo?” T.W. said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
1299. <br />
1300. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
1301. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Woodrow laughed and waved his a hand at
1302. his brother as he limped away following the tracks left by the fleeing horses.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
1303. </description><link>http://mitchterrywriter.blogspot.com/2013/08/excerpt-from-my-upcoming-book-riding.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Mitch Terry)</author><thr:total>0</thr:total></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5544332214809397350.post-8865810741548306520</guid><pubDate>Sat, 27 Jul 2013 21:31:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2013-08-09T12:35:00.654-05:00</atom:updated><title>Excerpt from my up coming book, &quot;Riding Buffaloes.&quot;</title><description>&lt;div class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot; style=&quot;line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;&quot;&gt;
1304. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">When Earl Dean and Lucille emerged from
1305. their tent early the next morning, Spud stood in the corral with the saddled
1306. buffalo looking like he was readying to leave. A water bag was tied to the back
1307. of the saddle. Earl Dean was too concerned about his own busting head to mount
1308. any kind of a resistance so he held back. Lucille approached him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
1309. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
1310. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“What do you think you’re doing, Spud?”
1311. she asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
1312. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
1313. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Spud put his boot toe in the stirrup and
1314. swung his leg over the saddle. The saddle groaned and his spurs jingled―the
1315. buffalo grunted. He gathered up the reins and then he straightened his hat
1316. before he spoke. He looked into the coming dawn. “I been up all night mullin’
1317. things over. Here’s what I come to―I’m gonna ride this here buffalo to my ma
1318. and pa’s place.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
1319. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
1320. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Lucille did not respond. She was too
1321. tired. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
1322. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
1323. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I figger there’s only two things you
1324. can do now―either turn ‘em lose or hide ‘em―so I’m-a gonna take the old skutter
1325. home and hide ‘em for ya.” He watched Lucille’s face. He was pleased to see her
1326. eyes glimmer with tears. “The old buff’s rested up good and he’s grained good,
1327. and so am I,” he said and then he smiled and patted his stomach. “We’re cuttin’
1328. cross country,” He moved his hand in a dramatic sweep. Lucille smiled. “. . .
1329. Gonna avoid towns and most folks. Don’t know how long it’ll take―travelin’ light.
1330. Shoot my supper if I get that hungry. That is if you’ll give me back my
1331. cartridges.” He smiled at her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
1332. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
1333. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Lucille reached into a pocket and handed
1334. him five .45 caliber cartridges. He juggled them in his hand and then he pulled
1335. the gun from his belt and opened the loading gate. One at a time he inserted
1336. each cartridge―the cylinder clicking as he turned it. When he finished, he spun
1337. the cylinder and then stuck the big gun back into his belt.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
1338. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
1339. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“You an Earl Dean just go on back home
1340. for now. I’ll get word to ya,” he said. And then, moved by his dramatics, he
1341. leaned over to kiss Lucille. The buffalo reacted to the shifting of his weight
1342. in the saddle by grunting and sidestepping away―leaving him grabbing for his
1343. hat and saddle leather to keep his seat. “Haw now you old son of a bitch,” he yelled
1344. out to the buffalo and then he quieted himself. “Tell Earl Dean I didn’t mean
1345. nothin’ by tryin’ to shoot him. I warn’t gonna kill his ass.” He took another
1346. read on her face. “You take care, now, ya hear?” And then he reined the buffalo
1347. around and headed for the gate.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
1348. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
1349. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Lucille went ahead and opened it. She
1350. watched them trot away―the buffalo’s tail swishing with every footfall. A knot
1351. filled her stomach. The sun was coming up. Time was wasting if they intended to
1352. strike camp and head back to Vinita. Lucille smiled and wiped her eyes with the
1353. palms of her hands. “Well, futz,” she said to herself. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
1354. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
1355. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Earl Dean parked his weary bones on the
1356. running board of the car with his head weighing heavy in his hands. He said in
1357. a whisper when Lucille approached, “Where’s that son of a bitch going to with
1358. your buffalo?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
1359. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
1360. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> “It’s
1361. time for us to go home, baby,” was all Lucille said about it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
1362. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
1363. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Earl Dean turned his bloodshot, swollen
1364. eyes to her and a bewildered expression washed over his bloodless face.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
1365. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
1366. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I’ll tell you all about it on the way
1367. home. You rest and I’ll break camp and we can go,” she said. “I’ll drive.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
1368. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
1369. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Does this mean the honeymoon is over?”
1370. Earl Dean asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
1371. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
1372. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Yes, baby, it’s over,” Lucille said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
1373. <br />
1374. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
1375. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Good,” Earl Dean said with a defeated
1376. sounding chuckle. “I don’t think I could have lived through another day of it.”
1377.  <o:p></o:p></span></div>
1378. </description><link>http://mitchterrywriter.blogspot.com/2013/07/blog-post.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Mitch Terry)</author><thr:total>1</thr:total></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5544332214809397350.post-7331415016741718002</guid><pubDate>Mon, 15 Jul 2013 03:31:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2017-10-04T10:21:29.255-05:00</atom:updated><title>Welcome to Mitch Terry&#39;s Writing Blog</title><description>&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: left;&quot;&gt;
1379. </div>
1380. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
1381. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM9m9-N3y1On48Sc_HhH3n13EwBmSY6SQWLA4YCOV9QCCOMPOorG7I1xggjly369DKP6ffqHOuV0Rai6k-nBT6X54macoRzeUiB31FfndG3Fl8ZtsJTHIs9csmQKVxvK9dSz12IhCvXYMV/s1600/blk+and+wht+pic+of+me+for+book.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM9m9-N3y1On48Sc_HhH3n13EwBmSY6SQWLA4YCOV9QCCOMPOorG7I1xggjly369DKP6ffqHOuV0Rai6k-nBT6X54macoRzeUiB31FfndG3Fl8ZtsJTHIs9csmQKVxvK9dSz12IhCvXYMV/s320/blk+and+wht+pic+of+me+for+book.jpg" width="210" /></a></div>
1382. On this blog you will find excerpts from upcoming books written by Mitch Terry, western novelist.<br />
1383. <br />
1384. . . . . It's been a while since I last blogged... but I've been busy writing... My latest book is titled, The Rotundo Bros. It's a cookbook of sorts... how my best old buddy, Al Kidwell, Jr and I developed a "world-class" spaghetti sauce." The hardest part was learning how to consistently spell, "spaghetti." Check it out on my web site. If you would love to have a fabulous Rotundo Bros. spaghetti dinner with friends and family, the whole thing is there for you. It's like getting a secret of the universe.<br />
1385. &lt;br /&gt;</description><link>http://mitchterrywriter.blogspot.com/2013/07/welcome-to-mitch-terrys-writing-blog.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Mitch Terry)</author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM9m9-N3y1On48Sc_HhH3n13EwBmSY6SQWLA4YCOV9QCCOMPOorG7I1xggjly369DKP6ffqHOuV0Rai6k-nBT6X54macoRzeUiB31FfndG3Fl8ZtsJTHIs9csmQKVxvK9dSz12IhCvXYMV/s72-c/blk+and+wht+pic+of+me+for+book.jpg" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></item></channel></rss>

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